“From this hour I ordain myself loosed of limits and imaginary lines..” -Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road

Sunbeams And Lonely Roads

After snapping this photo on the way out of Stanley, I came across some hotsprings in a little “town” called Sunbeam. Fitting name. I soaked my bones in little pools crafted by locals that mix the nearly boiling hot water coming out of the side of the mountain with the cold Salmon river. Each pool had a slightly diff. temp – regulated by a series of dams and channels made of rocks. I wish someone were here to appreciate it all with me!

From there, I took some crazy back roads through the former mining towns (now ghost towns) of Bonanza and Custer, ID, and got to test the mettle of this dual purpose bike a bit more. Passed with flying colors but definitely not a motocross bike. A 575 lb. bike with 150 lbs. of stuff on it (not including myself) isn’t exactly dainty..

After I got back on a paved road on my way into Challis, ID, I nearly hit a dog with dreadlocks as he walked right out in front of me from the farm he appeared to live (and not bathe on). If Chewbacca were a dog, this would be it. I didn’t get a photo, but did see this bizarre scene right across the street. Sheep appearing to suckle at the teat of this old farm truck. I can only assume they installed a watering or feeding system around it. Otherwise, this is just weird.

From there, I headed to Salmon, ID, a good mid-way point between Stanley and Missoula, my next destination. I camped yet again on the Salmon River (like I said, the longest free running river in the US – so I heard) in a beautiful little spot with a peregrine falcon nest nearby (got “barked” at by the mother more than once for getting too close) and some nice old RV folks from Arizona, the campground “hosts” – common to most State Park campgrounds, I’ve come to learn. Jane and ?? asked me if I was going to write a book about this adventure. If I had the patience, I might give it a try. Doubtful. Phil, want to write it for me?